Total pages in book: 203
Estimated words: 199654 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 998(@200wpm)___ 799(@250wpm)___ 666(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 199654 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 998(@200wpm)___ 799(@250wpm)___ 666(@300wpm)
“Thankfully Cat had access to that medication.”
“I’d say. Things tend to work out that way around these parts, though.”
“From what I’ve seen so far? I agree. Jared might not have wanted to get in touch with his wolf via that drug, but the fact that it was brought here for him is helping Sherry. Things might not make sense at first sometimes around here, but look at the whack of things that have happened lately. They eventually tend to make sense. Besides… might be nice for you to ease into life as Jase’s mate without your least favorite in-law for a while.”
I blow out a sigh before changing the subject. “How are you doing?”
“Morning sickness notwithstanding? Pretty fucking awesome.”
“Mated life is good?” I ask unnecessarily because her happiness is written all over her.
“Life has never been better,” she tells me. “Mason is everything. Every. Thing. I couldn’t be happier. Except maybe seeing some of my good friends happy – namely you. I look forward to hearing that from you, girlie. And… if Doggo tattoos my name on his body somewhere… that’d make life even more golden.”
Jase is doing whatever he can do to show me it’ll be worthwhile, so why does it all still feel so strangely out of reach?
Amie breaks my stoic silence.
“I’d better get back in there. Here’s hoping you get to the good parts really soon. Like… tonight.”
44
BAILEY
Jase turns up with food for me too, despite my lack of a breakfast order.
After he gives out all the containers, which Roxy has put names on, he sits beside me on a couch in the waiting room.
I open my container and see a bacon, egg, tomato, and cheese wrap with a side of tots.
He leans over to whisper in my ear, “Figure since you like to be a copycat, you might copy me today and eat what I buy you instead of acting like a martyr and starving yourself.”
Relief floods me for some reason. He doesn’t seem angry at me after all.
“Good call,” I say. “Gonna sip my copycat coffee now, too.”
He winks and it sets off a swarm of fireflies low in my belly.
By the time folks are finished eating, the Creeds have been chit-chatting with Amie and amongst themselves. It’s not quite jovial, but it’s obvious they’re trying to distract Val. And I surmise that Gwen is like her mom, subdued and worried. Taylor seems angry. She’s got an edge to her right now that I don’t usually see. And it wouldn’t surprise me if she’s pissed at Sherry for making everyone worry like this.
Jase’s father is quiet, but doting on his mate. Jase shovels his breakfast without talking, looking angry. I’m just sort of here, though I do have an appetite for a change, so I finish my whole breakfast.
In time for Sherry to have another dose of that drug, Dr. Blakely and Cat are back, so they take care of that behind closed doors before reporting to everyone that more of Sherry’s injuries are improved, that she’ll likely need shifts every few hours for the next twenty-four hours to get where they’d like to see her.
On a positive note, Cat gives us all an update on how things are going with Cicely and Jared and it’s good news.
I miss her and look forward to a proper catch-up.
“Sorry about that,” Jase says beside me. “Joel told me things were good with them and with all this other shit, I forgot to tell you.”
“Oh,” I say. “It’s… um…”
“Should’ve told you straight away. I apologize.”
“You were dealing with this. I understand,” I say softly. “I accept your apology.”
He looks at me for a long, questioning minute, but Tyson comes in and his attention turns that way as Cat gives Tyson the update.
When the conversations break into smaller groups, Jase slips outside, making a phone call on his way.
Dr. Blakely sits on the couch across from me.
“Hello,” I say.
“Hello, lass. This drug at one dose reconnects shifters with disconnected wolves. Increase that dose and it forces a shift. Triple the dose and it could wake a latent wolf.”
I jolt in surprise.
He goes on, “No guarantees that you have one, but this drug is going to be used in clinical trials on half-blood shifters. It’s one of the reasons I spoke to you about that data position opening up. If you have a latent wolf, the drug could jostle her. We had some success with that in one out of three cases in one of our earlier clinical trials. If you’d like to try, I’d be thrilled to add you to one of our trials.”
My jaw is about to drop in a mixture of utter shock, excitement, and devastation all at once. But Jase is walking over here. And he looks annoyed.
“There’s plenty of the drug here if you want to try as an experiment. Also…” Dr. Blakely looks uncomfortable with Jase closing in, but rolls with it. “I know you were a little disappointed with how things went with the law change request you submitted. I wanted to check in with you personally about it and see that you’re all right.”